Video games, whether the home or arcade variety have been controlled by a number of different methods including buttons, joysticks, trackballs and other devices that can be manipulated by the hands. Also there have been games that utilize some form of foot control such as the video car racing games where the speed of the car is controlled by a foot pedal. Another example of foot control of a game is provided in U.S. Pat. No. 4,488,017 which discloses a multi-directional control unit that is in effect a joystick operated by the operator's feet.
However, most of the prior art video games have required little in the way of physical activity from the operators other than occasional rapid hand movement. With the increasing emphasis on fitness in our society, it can be considered desirable to combine the entertainment value of video games with the benefits of physical exercise.